Railway-sleeper



F. P. A. ROUSSEAU AND L. A. PITOT.

. RAILWAY SLEEPER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.13|19l9- Patented Aug. 9, 1921.

3 SHEE TS-SHEET I .F. P. A. ROUSSEAU AND L. A. PITO-T.

RAILWAY SLE EPER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-13,1919- Patented Aug. 9,. 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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I APPLICATION FILED NOV. 13, 1919. 1,386,954. Patented A g- 9, 192L 3 SHEETS-SHEET UNITED sTA' Es FRAIN'QOIS 1 A. ROUSSEAU AND Lnon. A. PITOT, or PARIsrRANoE.

RAILWAY-SLEEPER.

Application filed November 13, 1919. Serial No. 337,771.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FnANgors P. A. ROUSSEAU and Leon A. Prro'r, citizens of the French Republic, residing at Paris, Department of the Seine, in France, and whose post-office address is 7 Rue Scribe, in the said city, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Sleepers; and we do hereby declare'the following to beta. full, clear, and exact description of the in-" vention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention consists of a means permitting of increasing the amount of the load on railway tracks byfitting the sleepers lwithin metal members forming nondeformable frameworks.

The metal members, employed'such as sleepers, tie beams or sleeves, areof rolled section or cast and are formed at one or more points on their vertical-sides with openings bounded by angle members formed from portions thereof which are cut" and then bent which angles serve for connecting the wooden and iron members. The connection may be effected by coach screws or bolts.

The incisions to form the angle members may be made during the rolling process, that is to say, when the length has been obtained and cut ofl, the slight cohesion of the hot metal more easily allowing the cutting operation mechanically.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention Figures 1, 2, 6 and 7 are perspective views ofvarious forms of the invention. Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 8 are perspective views of different modified forms of sleeve members and Fig. 9 a perspective view of a track built up with sleeve members.

Fig. 1. shows a framework of a track for double headed rails supported on chairs. As shown, the framework comprises two metal sleepers l1 of rectangular open-section which are strengthened by two wooden ties 2 and 3. For economical reasons each of these ties may be formed of two pieces of wood instead of one piece. Fig. 2 indicates a framework for a track for flat bottomed rails formed by two metal ties 4 and 5 of closed rectangular section connected by two' wooden sleepers 6 and 7 each formed of two pieces of wood. The metal ties 4 and 5 are arranged at an angle to the wooden sleepers so as to form a surface giving to the rail bottom an inclination o'f l in 20 toward the inside, of the track, as shown at 4" and 5, 1*1g. 2. Figs. 6 and 7'are somewhat similar to the construction illustrated in Fig.1 except for the specific construction of the metallic sleepers 1-1, Fig. 6 in addition showing a framework in which one line of rails is canted relativelyto the other line in order to produce a cant .in the curved part:

of crossing so that it can be assembled with.

two sets of longitudinal sleepers with metal sleeves 8. The sleeves may be formed of shaped members such as those indicated in Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 8 or of members having any other shapes capable of giving the same result. In Fig. 9 each of the longitudinal sleepers 9 may be formed of two pieces of smatlylz section, as in Figs. 1 and 2 and 6 an In all of the modifications shown, the

oppositely disposed vertical sides of the hollow metallic members of the framework, whether it be the tie or the sleeper, are out out at properly spaced intervals to provide outwardly bent angles or securing plates 10, which at the same time provide an opening directly through the metallic member for the insertion of the cooperating wooden tie or sleeper, according to the construction used. It is to be here notedthat the tie may be made of metal and cut out as described for the reception of the parallel longitudinal sleepers, as illustrated in Fig. 2, or the sleeper may be made of metal properly cut out in the manner described to receive the wooden tie,as shown in Figs. 1, 6 and 7, the two constructions being interchangeable as desired.

In the case of a switch approach or a frog junction, where there is a gradual change of angle between the sleepers and the ties, the metallic sleepers 8, as shown in Figs. 3, 4, 5, 8 and 9, have been devised. The same principle of assembly, however, is employed in this construction as in the construction illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 6 and 7, the metallic members being secured in the interconnected wooden members by fastenings through the angles or connecting plates 10.

As compared with a track formed of independent sleepers a track formed by two connected sleepers gives a supporting surface 3 or at times the amount according to the distance between the sleepers, since the pressure per square centimeter on the ground will diminish proportionately and the resistance to the forces developed by a moving train will increase also in the same proportions.

The application to the rail oints of a nondeformable framework will no longer give rise to apprehension as to displacement of the rails which quickly takes place with independent sleepers due to shocks. The framework will resist the pressure received as also the live weight of a train of which all the elements form a single mass when traveling over heavy and long gradients.

They will not require to be tamped and spreading of the gage will not be caused.

A .track constructed entirely of such elements will be non-deformable and in conse quence the expenses of upkeep will be very much reduced as will also the work required on the track. It will be able to stand very high speeds while offering a maximum of safety. 7

Claims- 1. A railway track support or cross-tie construction, comprising spaced tubular metallic members and spaced transverse crossmembers inserted through and interlocking with said tubular metallic members.

2. A railway track support or cross-tie construction, comprising spaced hollow metallic members, oppositely disposed spaced out out openings in the vertical sides of said hollow members and spaced transverse cross-members inserted through and interlocking with said hollow metallic members.

8. A railway track support or cross-tie construction, comprising spaced hollow metallic members, oppositely disposed spaced out out openings in the vertical sides of said hollow members, outwardly extending angles or connecting plates formed by the cutting out of the sides of said hollow members, and spaced transverse cross-members inserted through and interlocking with said hollow metallic members, said connecting plates providing additional means for securing said interlocking members together.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures, in presence of two witnesses.

FRANQOIS P. A. ROUSSEAU. LEON A. PITOT.

/Vitnesses CHAS. P. PnEssLY, EMILE lxLor. 

